Paraphrase: The narrator reflects on his life and how an incident from when he was twelve years old still affects him as an adult.

Analysis: The author personifies the past like it's a beast trying to escape from his childhood and into his future/present life. The reader does not know specifically what happened, but it's obvious it's had a negative impact on him throughout his life and he hasn't dealt with his childhood trauma yet. He says people are wrong about being able to "bury" the past, which is strange because that part sounds like he's talking about a person who has died, not a monster trying to "claw" it's way out of the ground.

Hassan and I fed from the same breasts. We took our first steps on the same lawn in the same yard. And under the same roof we spoke our first words.

Mine was Baba.

His was Amir. My name.

Looking back on it now I think the foundation for what happened in the winter of 1975-and all that followed-was already laid in those first words."

Paraphrase: The narrator describes how close he and Hassan are, and how they bonded growing up with each other.

Analysis: The author foreshadows that what happened in the winter of 1975 has to deal with Amir and Hassan's friendship. He describes how they bonded growing up together and then he tells us that Hassan's first word is "Amir" and Amir's is "Baba." Their first words symbolize who is important in their lives and who they want the attention of (look up to). Then the author goes on to say that their first words are what shaped what happens in the winter of 1975. The reader can now infer that what happened in the winter of 1975 has to deal with Baba and something he does to Hassan because Baba is the one Amir wants to get attention/affection from and Hassan is the person that he gets attention/affection from. This makes these two characters the most important people in Amir's life and readers can assume a conflict arises between them because of how the author insinuates the event in 1975 is between them.

Paraphrase: In a rare intimate moment with his son, Baba explains to Amir that the only sin is theft, technically.

Analysis: Baba states one of the themes of the novel: every sin or wrongdoing is theft or stealing of some kind. Baba says that if someone murders another person they stole a life. Amir's mother died while Amir was being born so it's almost like Amir killed his mother, therefore stealing a life. It almost seems as if Baba resents Amir for stealing his wife from him and wants Amir to feel guilty for commiting this sin.This quote also shows Baba isn't very religious because he is minimizing sin to theft and is undermining the mullah.

Paraphrase: Amir explains that while him and Hassan were very close, due to their cultural differences, he could never consider Hassan a friend.

Analysis: This quote reveals a character v.s. society conflict in the story between Shi'a, Hazara Afghans and Sunni, Pashtun Afghans. Considering Amir and Hassan did so many friend-like things together, it is hard to believe that Amir can't admit Hassan is his friend. In Afghanistan, culture is what restricts friendship and associations with people who are of different ethnic groups. When he was younger, Amir didn't fully understand this conflict, but now that he is older he is finally realizing how racism in his society kept him from considering Hassan a friend. The way the narrator repeats "nevermind" expresses how Amir resents the way societal norms prevented him from considering Hassan his friend.

Paraphrase: Amir almost tries to defend himself against Assef which makes him contemplate how he thinks about and treats Hassan.

Analysis: This quote represents a charcter v.s. self conflict because Amir fights back bad feelings about Hassan, who is his closest companion. This conflict reveals to readers that deep down Amir feels resentment towards Hassan, although Hassan has been nothing but nice to him. Readers have seen that Baba isn't a racist person, so we can infer he hasn't taught Amir to be that way. Instead Amir is jealous of the attention and love Hassan is surrounded by and the good person Hassan is. The quote shows that Amir wants there to be a reason why Hassan should be considered less than him. He is willing to use anything to have a leg up against Hassan in his Baba's eyes. Amir probably wonders if he is just as bad as Assef, who is a racist, sociopath, bully boy, and maybe, this will encourage him to start treating Hassan better.

Paraphrase: Hassan makes a facial expression that Amir isn't used to.

Analysis: Hassan's new face expression symbolizes a change in Hassan and a change in Afghanistan. Hassan represents so much in Amir's life including, childhood, brotherhood, innocence, and peace. Hassan's face is the face Amir considers the face of Afghanistan. This face change symbolizes not only a change in Hassan that Amir hasn't figured out, but also a change in Afghanistan that Amir hasn't figured out. Hassan has always been peaceful and positive, and so has Afghanistan so far in the story. Now that we see a change in Hassan we can infer that there is a change in Afghanistan as well; most likely, a not very peaceful one. We can also infer that because Amir, a Pashtun, and Hassan, a Hazara, who's relationship represents the coming together of two separate ethnic groups, are beginning to be less close, there might soon be a greater division between Hazaras and Pashtuns in Afghanistan.

Paraphrase: Just as Hassan is about to be beat up by Assef, Amir remembers when Ali told him and Hassan that they were fed from the same breast, and had a brotherly bond because of it.

Analysis: Amir is about to betray the closest person he has to a brother, and he is starting to feel anxious about the decision he has to make. Hosseini uses a flashback to remind readers that Hassan is not just a servant, or a friend to Amir, he is a brother. The memories/ dreams in this chapter also represent the end of Amir and Hassan's relationship, the end of Hassan's innocence, and are proof that Amir is a selfish coward, becoming the exact kind of person Baba was worried he would. This flashback suggests that Amir is going to leave Hassan, a decision that will haunt Amir for the rest of his life. Amir knows that Hassan will get the kite for him after he gets harassed, so he waits, and sacrifices Hassan for Baba's approval.

Paraphrase: Amir begins to throw pomegranates at Hassan, begging Hassan to hit him back, but Hassan wouldn't.

Analysis: The pomegranate tree is a motif for Hassan and Amir's friendship and the coming together of a Hazara and a Pashtun. Even though Amir betrayed Hassan, Hassan is still loyal to him. The pomegranate tree represents the "kingdom" of a friendship Hassan and Amir have made, along with all the beauty in their friendship. Amir is ruining the pomegranates by hitting Hassan with them, and is therefore tearing apart all the beauty in their relationship/"kingdom." Hassan sees that Amir no longer wants him as a friend so he walks away from their tree, leaving their friendship behind. The pomegranate tree also is a motif of Afghanistan, which shows that Afghanistan is going to have a war and Hazaras will be killed, which is why Hassan smashes a pomegranate on his own head smearing red juice, like blood, all over his head.

Paraphrase: The day Ali and Hassan leave a storm rolls in, which is rare for the summer season.

Analysis: The authors use of rain adds to the somber yet dignified tone. Rain makes the day that Hassan and Ali leave a dreary and unusual one. It is one all of Afghanistan will remember because it's the day it rained during the dry season, which makes it seem like this day was a tragedy for the whole of Afghanistan, not just Amir. The author's tone shows a change in the story; it adds a foreboding/ominous vibe to the story to come.

Paraphrase: On their way out of Afghanistan they get stopped in Mahipar, where a soldier asks for a minute alone with one of the women on the bus, but Baba refuses to let it happen and gets up to stop it.

Analysis: Baba doesn't know that Amir was put in this very same situation but with Hassan and no gun involved. It is very ironic that Baba asks this question, because as readers we know that Amir hadn't learned anything from Baba about courage. When Amir was put in the same situation, he was a coward and let the indecency take place, even though the indecency was happening to his greatest companion, whom he'd known his whole life. The quote also shows that even now Hassan is still a coward, and that he hasn't learned from his past mistakes. He still is not willing to sacrifice anything to save someone, especially if the sacrifice is Baba/Baba's attention.

Paraphrase: Baba and Amir are bonding, when Baba brings up Hassan and expresses how he wishes Hassan was also with them.

Quote: Amir feels like he is being strangled by steel hands when Baba brings up Hassan. Steel is the strongest alloy metal, and the steel hands illustrate the strength of the guilt Amir feels. No time can heal what was done to Hassan and how Amir handled the situation. The pain and guilt Amir feels is still the same even years after he made his decision. It seems as if Amir cannot even think of Hassan anymore without playing over all the terrible things he did to him. To Amir, Hassan is no longer a symbol of friendship and innocence, he is a symbol of Amir's guilt and cowardice.

Paraphrase: Soraya makes sure Amir still wants to marry her even though she was with another guy before.

Analysis: Amir has made very bad decisions in his life, so from his perspective, a persons past decisions shouldn't define them. He knows how it feels to carry the burden of past mistakes, and he probably wishes he could tell someone about what happened with Hassan and get the same response he gave to Soraya. Soraya must think Amir is an amazing guy for not caring, because from her perspective no man should want her after she ran off with another man. She doesn't know that Amir has made bad decisions in the past as well, which might become a conflict in the future. Amir will need to let go of his guilt at some point and the quote suggests it will be to her. Readers can infer that Amir fears Soraya might not be as willing to forgive Amir's past as Amir was to forgive hers.

Paraphrase: After getting married to Soraya, Amir learns new things about General Taheri, including the fact he hasn't had a job since moving to America.

Analysis: This quote characterizes General Taheri as somebody who is too prideful and arrogant. It explains his belief that he is too good to work in a lower-class job, and that he would rather take government welfare than have to work at a job where he isn't treated like he used to be in Afghanistan. In this way, he is the opposite of Baba. Baba wanted to work for everything he had and not be given charity. Baba is a hard worker and General Taheri is not. Amir admired that Baba was always a hard worker, and he probably doesn’t appreciate the arrogance of General Taheri.

Paraphrase: Rahim Khan tells Amir about living in Kabul, Afghanistan after Baba and Amir left, then updates him on everything that's happened since.

Analysis: The story switches from Amir's point of view to Rahim Khan's. This allows readers to experience exactly what Rahim Khan experienced in Afghanistan, so that Rahim's story isn't altered by Amir's point of view. The reader also experiences the emotions that were going through Rahim's head and gets Rahim's genuine, thoughtful take on what happened since Amir laft. The reader can trust that what Rahim is saying is what he actually went through better than if Amir was telling the story, especially because Amir thinks so highly of Rahim. The heartache and tragedy that people underwent at that time is reflected through someone as respectable as Rahim Khan being in such a vulnerable state, mirroring Afghanistan itself.

Paraphrase: Rahim Khan calls Amir and tells him to come see him and Amir ponders what Rahim Khan told him just before he hung up.

Quote: Amir is putting a lot of thought into Rahim's last words, "a way to be good again." The author repeats these words to emphasize their importance to Amir. Amir wonders what Rahim knows and he is intrigued by the idea of redemption from what he did in the winter of 1975. This redemption is what Amir has always hoped for, and the proposition of getting it is what ultimately drives Amir to go to Pakistan. Readers know that Rahim Khan still knows how to convince Amir, even after all these years of being apart. He knew exactly what to say to get Amir to come, and all it took were those last few words to get Amir to go to Pakistan.

Paraphrase: Rahim Khan shares wisdom that you always pay a price for peace.

Quote: Rahim asks Amir a question he already knows the answer to. Rahim seems to be talking about both him and Amir when he talks about the price you pay for peace. It seems Rahim Khan is trying to make up for a mistake he made in his past before he dies so he can die at peace with himself. Rahim believes he is paying the price for what he did in the past by dying before he sees Afghanistan free again. He doesn't want to get away from his punishment because he feels he deserves it, his time has come, and he has to pass on the adults' responsibilities and maybe secrets to the next generation. He doesn't want Amir surrendering to feeling at peace with his past even though he hasn't fixed his mistake. Rahim is encouraging Amir to fix his mistakes now and to not wait until the end like he did. Rahim's question reveals he has made a mistake in the past involving Amir, and that Rahim is about to confess his mistake to Amir and apologize.

Paraphrase: Rahim Khan reveals to Amir that Hassan is his brother and that Amir needs to go get Hassan's son Sohrab.

Analysis: Baba told Amir when he was very little that the biggest sin was theft, and explained that when you lie you are stealing someone's right to the truth. This is ironic because Baba stole the truth from both Hassan and Amir and kept it from them the whole time he was alive. This is a significant part of the story, because for the first time Amir realizes Baba wasn't perfect, he sinned too, and he died a sinner. The quote explains why Baba was always treating Hassan like a son instead of a servant. It is also kind of ironic that Hassan was the son Baba always wanted, but Hassan was the son Baba had to pretend wasn't his. It's almost like Baba's punishment for keeping this big secret was him being kept away from the "perfect son." In the beggining of the story readers believed that Baba and Hassan seemed more alike than Baba and Amir. It turns out Baba and Amir are very alike. Baba also lived his life feeling guilty, and not knowing how to fix it. Readers can infer this is why Baba was so cold toward Amir, because Amir reminded him of himself.

Paraphrase: Amir realizes how lies have ruined so many parts of his life, and he wants to put an end to them.

Analysis: This quote helps develop one of the main themes of the story: Taking a chance at redemption is the only way to get rid of the guilt from your past mistakes. Throughout the story, Amir has looked for a way to redeem himself and he began to believe that there was no way to redeem himself because his mistake was so long ago. It's almost as if he'd already accepted his guilt as permanent. Amir is starting to realize that he can redeem himself by finding Hassan's son and preventing him from hurting like Hassan had to hurt. By finding Hassan's son, Amir has a chance to fix the broken relationships in his family. Readers can take this idea and incorporate it into their lives, expanding on these major morals: it is never too late to change, and you should always try to fix the things that are broken in your life.

Paraphrase: Amir has a dream about Hassan's death, where he is the Taliban member who kills Hassan.

Analysis:The dream is a motif for Amir's growing guilt for what he did to Hassan. Now that he knows Hassan was killed by the Taliban while in Afghanistan, Amir starts to think of himself as Hassan's true killer. Amir believes that in a way he is the reason Hassan was left in Afghanistan, which eventually got him killed. However, there is no way to turn back time and see what would've happened if Amir hadn't made the decisions he did. This quote shows readers just how critical Amir is of himself. It's almost like he doesn't want to look at things from other perspectives because he still thinks he deserves to feel guilt for what he did in 1975. If Amir were to look at his life from a different perspective he might realize that Baba was holding back a secret too, and everything that happened to Hassan is also partly Baba's fault.

Paraphrase: Amir walks up to the old pomegranate tree to find it dead and everything around it in ruins.

Analysis: All of Afghanistan seems abandoned, and destroyed. Even the plants are dying, and it's almost like nature is in despair over what is happening in Afghanistan. All of the details about Afghanistan the author provides, build a tone of hopelessness, despair, and gloom. Amir goes up to the Pomegranate tree after seeing everything in Afghanistan in ruins. It's almost like Amir has a hope that the pomegranate tree will be different, but much to his dismay it is wilted too, shriveled by drought and malnourishment, just like the people of Afghanistan. Amir doesn't think the tree will ever have fruit again, much like his unspoken belief that Afghanistan will never have beauty like it once did. There is no hope in Afghanistan, no beauty, no peace, and a heavy feeling of brokenness. The author uses this tone, to show how broken and ruined the Taliban has made Afghanistan, and how much Amir's home country has changed from the loud lively place Amir grew up in. Readers gain some awareness of the terrible conditions in Afghanistan and get to experience a small amount of the heartbreak people from/living in Afghanistan must feel.

Paraphrase: Amir is being tortured by Assef, and he does not say everything he experiences, but he says it heals him.

Analysis: The author chooses to use the words, "broken," and "healed" to show how the experience was almost like therapy for Amir. Amir felt like his life was "broken" before Assef beat him up, but when he gets assaulted he feels like he has been put back together. The author could have used many other words to describe Amir's state, but he chose "broken," and "healed." These words have a deeper, more mindful connotation. They are delicate, which is a perfect way to describe Amir's emotions, which are very complex. Amir is a very conscientious person deep down, and these words show just how badly he wants to fix his mistake. While most would be angry at the situation, or say that they "got beat up," Amir says he was "broken," almost like he is an object, this shows how sentimental Amir is. Amir then says the experience "healed" him like it was a treatment he needed, rather than something that could have killed him.

Paraphrase: A woman is about to be killed by the Taliban when Amir remembers Baba telling him Afghanistan would be doomed if religious people took over.

Analysis: Baba was very wise about the secret evils of religion before there was even a reason to be. Afghan citizens probably didn't think religious powers would ever control Afghanistan, and before the Taliban, people probably thought religious powers ruling Afghanistan would have a good outcome, bringing peace to their country. In this chapter Amir watches as Baba's prediction comes true. Baba always thought of overly religious people as phonies and it seems he was correct because these "religious" extremists, who took over Afghanistan, are massacring, starving, and torturing people (committing sins); not bringing peace. The Taliban preaches that what they are doing is what God told them to do. Readers can obviously see this religious group is doing the opposite of what a religious group should be doing(spreading peace and love), and that they are using God as an excuse for evil. The Taliban members are hypocritical, committing sins and then punishing others for committing them. This is evil and sickening, just as Baba said it would be. This part of the story makes both Baba and Amir's sins seem small and brings focus back to a bigger problem in Afghanistan. It also shows how religion can be turned into an excuse for evil.

Paraphrase: Amir has a dream that he is wrestling a bear just like Baba had.

Analysis: In this dream the bear symbolizes Amir's life, and seeing his own face in place of Baba's symbolizes Amir's new feeling of bravery. Before, Amir felt like he was being beat by life, but now he is beginning to feel like he has control of it. Amir has always had Baba fight his battles for him, but it seems that now, Amir finally feels like he can fight his own. Amir feels a sense of bravery he never felt before. The bear not only symbolizes his life, but also his guilt. Throughout the book, Amir has struggled with his guilt, but now that Amir has found Sohrab, he feels like he can finally tackle it.

Paraphrase: Sohrab has been very quiet, sleeping a lot recently due to his trauma, and Amir leaves his razor blade accessible on the counter.

Analysis: This foreshadows that Sohrab, who is dealing with depression and trauma, is going to try to use this blade to harm himself. The author strategically highlights this right after going into detail about Sohrab's vulnerable mental state to show that Amir is feeling regretful. Amir has broken the trust he and Sohrab share by giving him a way to harm himself. Amir should be making sure Sohrab is safe, and by not putting the blade away he is betraying that responsibility. Readers also know that Sohrab really wants to stay with Amir and go to America with him. If Sohrab doesn't get this opportunity, he will end up in an even darker place because he is fearful of being left alone without someone that truly cares about him.

Paraphrase: Amir offers to run the kite for Sohrab and then repeats the same words Hassan told Amir years ago before Hassan ran that kite for him.

Analysis: These words that previously tore Amir apart no longer hurt him. The quote shows how much Amir's character has grown and healed from his deep guilt. Hassan was the most loyal person in Amir's life, and Amir wants Sohrab to have someone as reliable as Hassan. Although Amir was rude to Hassan sometimes, Hassan would still do anything for Amir. By using Hassan's words, it shows how Amir has gained a type of wisdom he didn't have when he was younger. These words have been repeated at different stages of Amir's life as he has grown. Before, Amir was selfish and couldn't imagine being this devoted to another person, but now he wants to be someone Sohrab can always trust.